The present disclosure is directed to controlling subcomponents which are part of an aircraft seat and/or suite actuation system that can include components that respond to passenger-initiated operations related to manipulation of an aircraft seat and related comfort accessories and devices. These system components include but are not limited to actuators, controls, lights, solenoids, power supply units, electronic control units, auxiliary electronic boxes, connection boxes and electrical peripherals.
In aircraft seat design, weight is an important consideration that can often limit the design flexibility of the seat/suite because the necessary electromechanical components needed to implement the functionality or automation along with the complex wiring systems connecting the components may increase the weight of the aircraft seat over predetermined limits. For example, a seat control unit (SCU) can transmit passenger-initiated command signals to a series of seat actuators, lighting fixtures, comfort/massage devices (etc.), collectively referred to as line replacement units (LRUs), within the passenger seat. In some examples, the SCU and the LRUs are interconnected in a series or daisy chain arrangement by a data bus (e.g., CANBUS) that allows the LRUs to communicate with one another. Any of the LRUs can include an electronic control unit (ECU) and serve as a primary controller for the other LRUs in the suite. The data bus wiring along with power wiring and associated electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding can result in complex wiring configurations within the space-limited passenger seat that can be confusing to identify as well as increased weight due to the wiring and processing components (e.g., ECUs) installed in the LRUs. In addition, troubleshooting issues with the LRUs can be a difficult and complex process due to the wiring density within the passenger suite along with the electronic complexity of the LRUs.